Trump to sign Russia sanctions bill, White House says

Lawmakers were unsure if Trump would back the bill given his calls for warmer relations with Russia and a probe into his campaign's possible collusion with Moscow. (CARLOS BARRIA/REUTERS)

Legislation imposing strict financial sanctions on Russia will get President Trump's approval, the White House said Friday.

The sanctions are meant to punish Russia for meddling in the 2016 presidential election and its military aggression in Ukraine and Syria.

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In response, Moscow cut the number of U.S. diplomats in Russia and closed the U.S. Embassy's recreation retreat.

Lawmakers were unsure if Trump would back the bill given his calls for warmer relations with Russia and an ongoing investigation into whether his campaign colluded with the Kremlin to influence the election.